Where I Will Always Love You
by Chelsea Oz
Summary: It's Maria sixth birthday and Diane is taking it hard. She tried to be strong but a nap after an emotional outburst makes Maria come back to her in a dream. Have tissues at the ready!


_"You know that place between sleep and awake; that place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I will always love you. That's where I'll be waiting."_

_Peter Pan._

This was going to be the hardest Valentine's Day ever. Diane always found it sad when other people or herself, didn't have a Valentine. Only God knew she would have a very special one; her daughter, Maria. Maria was more beautiful than a bouquet of vibrant red roses, sweeter than a big box of chocolates, and more breathtaking than the usual snowfall that sprinkled onto Boston's busy streets. Now that Maria was no longer with them, the only thing about this Valentine's Day that was vibrant and breathtaking was Diane's despair for the daughter she lost.

She would not allow herself to wallow in self pity. She had three other children to live for and she swore on her father's grave that she was going to live the best life she could for her remaining little ones. It took her husband a while, but he eventually began to feel that way, too. Sam was truly the only one who understood her pain and they were in this together and Diane needed that.

Dinner that night was a typical family affair. Diane had whipped up chateau brian that was cooked to a perfect medium rare, mashed potatoes and asparagus that were equally drenched in butter, salt and pepper. The boys loved their mother's cooking and they always managed to clean their plates no matter how stuffed they became.

"Wicked good, mom!" Exclaimed Spencer, who wiped his mouth with the cloth napkin.

"Yeah, mom," Ernie had to agree.

"Yeah, wife," came Sam's reply that caused Diane and the boy's to giggle.

"I got a special dessert," Diane said getting up from the table.

"Oh, man," Spencer said excitedly as Diane went to go get the sweet treat. "I hope it's peanut butter pie!"

"I hope it's ice cream cake!" Ernie said, hopefully.

"I bet whatever it is, you'll be happy," Sam said with a smile. His boys were something else when it came to food.

That was when Diane came out from the kitchen with a big giant sheet cake. She had made a chocolate cake with pink frosting. The kind of cake that she would usually make for Maria. When she set the cake down, the boys knew exactly what she was trying to do.

"Diane what are you doing?" Sam asked, dismayed.

"I made a cake for Valentine's Day."

"No, you made a cake for Maria," Spencer said, sadly.

"Well, it would be her sixth birthday today..."

"Mom," Ernie said getting up from the table. "I'm not hungry."

"Me neither," Spencer said, following suit.

"Boys," Diane said, getting emotional. "I didn't mean for you to get upset."

"We just don't want dessert, Mom," Spencer said.

"Yeah, thanks anyway, though," Ernie said while they both exited the dining room. As soon as the door shut, Diane buried her face in her hands and wept. Sam went to her and put his arms around her.

"Hey," he said kissing her hair. "Why don't you go take a nap? I'll clean up and tend to Elizabeth if she needs anything."

"I don't know," she says.

"Come on, it will do you good, huh?"

"Well, okay," she looks up at him with a forced smile. Sam smiled back at her and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"You're okay, sweetheart,"

"Thank you," she says exiting the dining room. She decided she had the best husband ever. Dishes and tending to the kids while she took a nap. He needs an award.

The bed never felt so heavenly. It was like she was laying on a cloud. She stared at her closet on the other side of her bedroom until a child's voice interreputed her peace.

"Mommy."

"Not now, Maria," Diane would know her children's voices anywhere.

"Mommy look at me!"

"Maria...I...Maria?" Diane jumped when she called her daughter's name for the third time. She looked around the room and found nobody there. She decided she really did need some sleep after all. It wasn't long after she closed her eyes did she awaken to see her daughter at the foot of her bed. Her long, blond curls radiated light and her big blue eyes sparkled back at Diane. Oh, Diane couldn't believe she was here.

"Maria, baby," she said opening out her arms for a hug. "Come here my little baby!"

Maria giggled all the way back to her mother and jumped into her. Diane could feel her daughter again and it felt like euphoria.

"Mommy," Maria said as she placed her little hand on her mother's face.

"I'm so happy to see you, honey," Diane says not letting go of her.

"I gotta go," Maria said.

"What? You just came."

"Don't be sad, Mommy. I'll always come back to see you. It's okay."

"If you say so,"

"I know so. I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too, baby."

Then Diane woke up. It had been three hours but it had felt like only three minutes. Three glorious minutes or hours that had restored Diane back to inner peace. She was able to see and feel her daughter for the first time and she promised she would come back. She looked back around her room and found Maria's picture by Sam's side of the bed. She smiled back at her little girl inside the photo frame.

"Until we meet again, baby girl."


End file.
